As we again enter hard economic times, we all need something to inspire us and keep us going. In the Great Depression (which what we’re going through is peanuts compared to that one) the country took inspiration from a broken down boxer who rose to the top of his game from career ending injuries.
James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) is a boxer in the 1930s. When his hand is injured he has to take an early retirement and take on menial jobs to support his wife Mae (Renee Zellweger) and their four children since the country is going through a depression. He works hard, but never gives up his dream to one day return to the ring.
One day his former manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) visits him with an offer. There’s been a last minute cancellation in a bout with the number two contender in the world. The promoters of the event see Braddock as a punching bag for this opponent and look at the bout as a laugh.
However, the tables are turned when Braddock knocks the guy out in the third round. As his career rises like a phoenix from the ashes the country begins to get behind him as a way to get out of the malaise the Depression is causing and dub him the “Cinderella Man.”
As he rises in the ranks he comes to take on heavyweight champion of the world Max Baer (Craig Bierko), who has killed two men in the ring. Can Braddock defeat this man or will Baer add another coffin to his tally?
Everyone loves an underdog. It’s grand to see someone who is expected to go away defeated rise to the occasion and come out the winner. It’s what the country needed in the 1930s. I’d imagine we’d need such today as we enter into the doldrums of a flaccid economy, but the 1930s were a much different time and place. We have too many media outlets for such a story to catch on, in my humble opinion, in “the day” they only had newsreels, newspapers (a dying breed today), and the radio.
The audiences of the time ate up every story of the underdog Braddock. For a time, I’m sure it was grand to hear about his rise and imagine that you’d be able to do the same. You might say the same for HD DVD, where this film had its high def debut, but it didn’t slug it out and have the longevity of Blu-ray.
Russell Crowe is excellent, as is Zellweger and Giamatti. Giamatti would secure an Academy Award nomination for his role, but wouldn’t walk away with the gold. The film also garnered nods for editing and makeup. I guess the film is manipulative as it pulls on the heartstrings, but it’s a fine film that harkens back to the “good old days” of Hollywood. However, you’ll find yourself swept up in Braddock’s story as the audiences of the 1930s did.
Cinderella Man is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.35:1). Special features include three commentaries. The first is from director Ron Howard, the second from screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, and the last from co-writer Cliff Hollingsworth. The remainder of the special features is in standard definition.
Next up is 37 minutes of deleted and extended scenes. The 28 minute “Becoming Jim Braddock” talks with Crowe for his preparation to play the man. The 22 minute “Fight Card” is about casting the film, both the major and minor players.
The 25 minute “Pre-Fight Preparations” is about pre-production on the film. The 22 minute “Lights, Camera, Action” details the shooting of the film. The 7 minute “For the Record” talks about Crowe’s physical training for the role. The 14 minute “The Man, The Movie, The Legend” details aspects of the real Braddock. The 11 minute “Jim Braddock” focuses on the other people in Braddock’s life. The 7 minute “Sound of the Bell” is about scoring the picture.
The 2 minute “Music” featurette has composer Thomas Newman discussing the score as well. The 6 minute “Human Face of the Depression” gives a historical overview of the Great Depression. There’s also 32 minutes of footage of the actual Braddock versus Baer fight and a 9 minute “Ringside Seats” discussion of the fight with the filmmakers and novelist Norman Mailer. There’s also a Kodak commercial (2 minutes), photo montage (3 minutes), and the disc is equipped with BD-Live functionality (if you’re player is the right profile that is).
Cinderella Man is another fine film from director Ron Howard and takes a look at a story that’s sure to inspire. The performances are phenomenal and the film offers some hope that better times are ahead. An excellent movie that only shines more on Blu-ray.
Cinderella Man [Blu-ray] is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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